Labels and laminate sheets are well known and various types have been proposed to meet the requirements of a wide variety of label applications. For example, labels are extensively used in retail businesses for communicating product information to customers. Labels generally include a facestock layer with an adhesive side and an exposed side. The exposed side includes label indicia thereon and is opposite from the adhesive side. A liner sheet is operably attached to the adhesive side and is configured to allow a user to peal the label portion of the facestock from the liner sheet to be placed on a substrate. Similarly, a laminate sheet may include a facestock that is a generally transparent plastic material having an adhesive side that is attached to a liner sheet. The facestock is configured to be pealed from the liner such that the adhesive side can be applied to a substrate. This allows the laminate facestock to protect the substrate while allowing users to view the substrate through the laminate.
However, problems arise when a user peals the label or laminate facestock from the liner and attempts to place the facestock on the substrate. Many times the facestock fails to adhere due to inconsistent application by the user. The placing of the adhesive side to the substrate can be a challenge to the user as unwanted bubbles or ridges may be created between the facestock and the substrate. These ridges and bubbles may be unsightly and difficult to properly correct. Inconsistent application becomes more likely when the label or laminate facestock is large relative to the hands of the user and is made from a generally flexible material. The user may have a difficult time handling the facestock while placing the adhesive side against the substrate as intended. Further, the facestock becomes difficult to correctly align with the substrate in certain applications. Additionally, the facestock is difficult to handle because the laminate sheet is very thin and pliable.
Therefore, there is a need for a label or laminate sheet assembly having a facestock and liner material that can be configured to reduce inconsistent application by the user. There is also a need for an improved method of applying a label or laminate sheet to a substrate that reduces the steps necessary to accurately position and consistently apply the label or laminate to the substrate.
Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the present disclosure is to provide a label or laminate sheet assembly having a facestock and liner that is easily utilized by a user for manual application to the substrate. It is another object of the present disclosure to provide methods to remove the liner from the facestock of the assembly for the accurate placement of a label or laminate facestock material on the substrate.